Part 2: A Road Trip! Cali Coast With My Two Main Men. INN PARADISO in PASO ROBLES-- halfway between LA and SF!
The drive from LA to San Fran is about three hours longer than you would want it to be. Especially with the baby in tow, cruising straight through was just not an option and it's always fun to make an adventure out of a road trip with several stops! Paso Robles is the ideal mid-way stopping point but frankly there are not many lodging choices in the area that get the Firestone Sisters stamp of approval.
Hotel Cheval on the town square, is one stamped spot, and we stopped there on our way back South for a night (scoop to come!), but they were full the night we were passing through on our way North... I desperately searched the world wide web and had just about exhausted my resources when Lucy reminded me that Sunset Magazine had delivered some gems in the past. Lo and behold, I stumbled upon a very un-B&B, B&B that hadn't turned up in any of my searches.
Inn Paradiso is somehow not on the radar -- perhaps because of its slightly higher price tag than other B&Bs in the area. Along those lines, paying a little bit more to get a LOT more is worth it to us. Inn Paradiso is super boho chic and stylish. From the soaring beamed ceiling in the great room with a fireplace so big I could stand in it, to the John Robshaw linens, in room fireplaces, claw footed tub with complimentary bath salts offered in an antique silver bowl, spa like shower and exceptional organic and healthy yet still delicious breakfast, Inn Paradiso is a new favorite spot. Tanner and Colleen, the inn keepers, are cool and friendly but also allow you your independence-- they manage a perfect balancing act. Chatting with Tanner on the phone leading up to our trip, I explained we were traveling with our 5 month old baby, so did he have any babysitters on call so we might go to dinner. He didn't have babysitter recs, but shared that they had just launched a farm to table private dinner service at the Inn. He also offered to babysit with Colleen if we'd rather go out-- so sweet!
After a long day of driving, I thought we'd rather stay in, which was perfect. We arrived and settled into our room-- Ocatio Paz on the first floor in the main house which was ideal for us as we set up the baby monitor and hung out in the Great Room until bed, and in the morning during breakfast while Baby Ever napped. Tanner and Colleen served an exceptional dinner fireside -- the goat cheese and beet salad was mind boggling as was the fish -- really, as was everything!
It was a lovely stay and a spot we will be happy to return to! I had a chance to poke my head into most of the other rooms and would say you can't really go wrong. If I had to choose, I think I would pick one of the three in the main house, though...
Thanks for a lovely stay! We'll be back. xo